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Howard leaving HHS for new job at FDA

Sally Howard is stepping down as chief of staff at the Department of Health and
Human Services to become the deputy commissioner for policy at the Food and Drug
Administration. This move will be effective May 3.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius made the announcement Monday in an email to her
staff.

Sally Howard

In her new role, Howard will support the FDA commissioner in developing and
implementing policy and strategic priorities, according to the email.

"I want to express my sincere appreciation to Sally Howard for her outstanding
service to me and the department," Sebelius wrote. "Sally has been an
indispensable
leader within the department since she started here in September 2009. She began
as
deputy general counsel and then became acting general counsel before serving as my
chief of staff for over two years. She has been an amazing asset to this
organization, and while she will not be moving very far away, we will certainly
miss
her presence in my office."

Andrea Palm will become the new HHS chief of staff. Palm first came HHS in January
2009 as the deputy assistant secretary for health policy in the Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Legislation. She was the senior advisor for health to the
White House Domestic Policy Council from 2010 to 2011 and was most recently the
counselor in the Immediate Office of the Secretary.

A graduate of Cornell University and Washington University in St. Louis., Palm was
Sen. Hillary Clinton's (D-N.Y.) health policy advisor before coming to HHS.